For the first time, hepatitis C can be cured without interferon and ribavirin, which can cause fatigue and depression.

Finally, there’s a medication to cure hepatitis C that
doesn’t require use of the dreaded drugs interferon or ribavirin.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier
this month approved Harvoni, a once-daily tablet manufactured by Gilead
Sciences. Harvoni is a combination medication that includes sofosbuvir (Sovaldi),
another Gilead breakthrough treatment approved late last year, and ledipasvir,
which is also made by Gilead.

The new medication costs
$95,000 for a 12-week course of treatment. On the surface it appears even
more expensive than Sovaldi, which costs
$84,000 for a 12-week supply. Both medications have been proven to cure
hepatitis C in a majority of people with genotype 1 hepatitis C within that time
frame.